Fallen Skies
by Colonel-IrritumStudios
Summary: Book 1 Of the 10 Millennia Series. Steve had been living a peaceful life when mysterious blocks and stuff falling out of the skies shattered the tranquillity on Minecraftia. When another person who claims to be from the Aether joins him on his journey, Steve's life turns upside-down. Rate T because of minor violence and maybe gore?
1. Chapter 1: Underground

**Hi, guys! This is Colonel reporting for duty! And I present you this Minecraft fanfic...(silence) Hey! Where is the music? Well, never mind. It is Fallen Skies. Well, I can't speak too much of it here as it would be a _huge_ spoiler. Let's just say that something is going to fall. Also thanks for BlackDragon41 for letting me use his story... or some part anyway. It will appear in Chapter 2... Yeah, so just review and like!**

50 days before 10th Millennium

Steve sunk his pickaxe into the stubborn diamond ore, working with his iron pickaxe and scraped the stone tinted with traces of lightly blue minerals. The pickaxe made loud clanging noises with the hard surface, the sound of it already made the miner excited. Smashing the block with a final blow, he stretched his hand out and grabbed the gem in his hand. The precious stone felt somewhat cool in his hand and it shone brightly as he happily threw the diamond into his already overstuffed chest pack, already overflowing with diamonds, emeralds and other different precious ores, that alone should be able to buy millions of stuff during his rare visit to the city nearby. Steve picked up his torch, flickering at the sudden movement but quickly resumed its glow, and the miner started to walk back to the temporary base he set up for exploring the huge cavern. Although Steve always liked the solitude the wildlife gave him, he still sometimes visit the city and go on a shopping spree, from rare enchantment books to well, fine-bred horses, and from the newest music discs to the succulent cakes frosted with cream... Cakes, yum! Steve thought as he felt his mouth water and his stomach growling. Steve sighed and fished around in his pack, pulling out a piece of dry bread. He nibbled on the stale loaf and forced himself to choke down the unappetizing food, promising himself that he will go buy some cakes when he had the time. Steve cautiously passed the area in which lava flowed and gave out small sparks which burned and hurt him... He had learned the hard way before when a small spark had landed on his shirt and he had nearly turned into a human torch. Shaking off the painful memory, Steve navigated through the liquid fire and was soon back to his temporary base. It wasn't comfortable, without a bed and anything some, but the miner soon found himself yawning after he put down his heavy chest pack and before he knew it he was fast asleep on the cold hard rock.

Steve opened his eyes and jumped up, finding himself inside a large cave, brightly lit with the glow of torches. Seeing the warm and comfortable light made Steve smile, but yet there was a glint at the end of the cave? The miner's instinct brought him closer and closer to the gleaming object. It was a diamond ore! Steve smiled more brightly as he thought of the valuable item, so close at hand. He whipped out his iron pickaxe and started to hack away the ore. Random rock fragments flew everywhere as the miner tried to extract the diamond. As he finished, he heard some rumbling sound and at that time all the torches went out. Steve wondered what was happening when blocks of sand consumed the unsuspected miner. Steve realized that all of it was a death trap from the started as sand forced itself into his nose, eyes and mouth, suffocating him slowly. The lack of oxygen is making the miner think more sluggishly as he frantically thought of an escape plan, but he knew his time was up when black spots swarmed in his dimming vision. He closed his eyes and waited for his imminent death.

Steve awoke with a start on the stone floor, gasping for breath. _It is just a bad dream,_ he reminded himself. As he stretched his stiff form, he unintentionally glanced at the calendar. The miner had been down exploring the seemingly endless cave for nearly two weeks, and he longed to go back to his home in the surface and sleep in the soft bed instead of the stone. He really missed the soft breeze and the warm sunlight which killed the undead mobs roaming the nighttime. Steve started pacing the different minerals into his chestpack, silently humming a tune to himself and slowly forgetting the strangely realistic dream he had. Steve grabbed his sheathed iron sword and slipped it in his belt, then he stepped out of the shelter and ran back to the surface.

**A/N I hope you enjoyed the story and sorry that I could not give any promises on when will it be updated. So just give me some comments and favourites and I will have the power to write on faster! This is Colonel and I'm out!**


	2. Chapter 2: Omens

**A/N: Hey there! Colonel reporting for duty! And I present you the latest chapter of Fallen Skies! I hope you enjoyed the story so far and please like, follow or review!**

**P.S. BlackDragon41 Thanks for your review! I hope you enjoyed it and continue to read on! Anyway, THANKS FOR THE MOTIVATION YOU GAVE ME!(I should probably hand out something now but I can't think of what, so sorry!)Also, more involvement of Hero's Bane later!XD**

Steve emerged into the fresh, crisp forest air as he exited his mineshaft. _Strange, the terrain isn't like this before. _Steve thought as he walked along sand blocks and other blocks which he did not have a name for. He scooped one up, examining it carefully. It was a blue gel-like substance but curiously retained its blocky form. The block felt like water which cooled his skin but it was not as freezing as the solid ice which he often saw in the snow biomes. Steve decided that this block warranted further inspection, so he stuffed the block into his pocket and moved on.

Steve arrived at his home just as the sky dimmed. Droplets of crystal clear liquid plopped down on the ground, separating into tinier blobs of water. Steve ran into the house, thankful that the water had not doused the torch. The wooden planks creaked under his feet as he walked over to the cobblestone fireplace. Steve then took out his flint and steel and rubbed them together, lighting up the Netherracks he collected on his last trip to the Nether. He stepped back and admired the soft warm glow it casted. The fire danced in the fireplace, casting lovely shadows around the room spitting sparks and fine ash inside the fireplace. Steve then put down all the gear he was carrying and went over to his bookshelves and grabbed his favorite book, popping a classical music disc into the jukebox as he walked by. Steve sighed in comfort as he plopped on his cozy armchair and ran his hands over the leather cover of the book. The title-Hero's Bane was inscribed on the rough surface as the miner opened the thick book. The story inside the novel was really exciting and it is about his namesake meeting with the almighty and frightening Herobrine. It was written by somebody called Nigel and his books are now already a bestseller in Minecraftia. Suddenly, a crash in the 2nd floor made the miner jump. Steve quickly picked up his sword and ran up the stairs, knocking down several pieces of furniture as he bashed into the second floor of his home. The strong gale of the thunderstorm met him full in the face as the ice-cold rain soaked his cyan shirt, making Steve shiver slightly. He looked up to the roof and stared in dismay at the roof with one block missing. _Great, now my bedroom is wet._ Steve thought as he snagged a block of cobblestone out from his pocket and put it on the roof, watching it grow larger and larger and finally mended the hole._ But how was the hole made?_ He pondered when he saw a pink pickaxe sticking out behind his crafting table. Steve picked it up and examined the foreign tool in his hand, flipping it over and feeling the weight settle on his hand. The pickaxe was beautifully made, and it's edge was pretty sharp. The handle was made of a wood that the miner did not recognize. _Maybe that's where the emerald went last year, _Steve thought , still remembering the bitter shock when he discovered that he had lost ten emeralds. Then an idea suddenly jolted through Steve's mind, he ran back down the staircase, pickaxe still in hand. He approached his chest and rummaged through the various potions and tools, and finally pulled out a book from the bottom of the chest. He gently blew off the dust on the book, the golden letters shone in the presence of the light emitted from the fireplace, revealing the book's name-The Wikipedia of Realms. The thick heavy book contained everything you needed to know about the Overworld, the Nether the End and even the Aether. The miner opened the book, desperately combing through the entries to find out more about the mysterious pink pickaxe now sitting on the table.

'There!' Steve said to himself as he triumphantly smiled to himself, but he smile quickly turned into a frown when he saw where the mystery pickaxe came from. It was from the Aether, where the Gods dwelled. It would be impossible to buy this pickaxe or any other stuff in villages and cities in the Overworld. Steve closed his eyes and massaged his temples, trying to sort out all the mess he had been into- unknown blocks lying on the ground, strange dreams and Aether items literally flying into his home. Although Steve was disturbed, the classical music from the jukebox and the rain pattering outside weaved together to form a lullaby, seeping into the miner's weary body. Soon, Steve was fast asleep while the fire silently licked the air.

**UPDATE: IF you don't know what are the blocks and objects listed above, the block that Steve picked up is an Aerogel and the pickaxe is the ****Gravitite Pickaxe. So that's Colonel, and I am out!**


	3. Chapter 3: Gone

**A/N: Hey guys! This is Colonel reporting for duty! And I present you the next instalment of Fallen Skies. Sorry it may seems to be a rush, but I basically had time to type only in lunchtime at the library computers.( Which were also slow as hell.) So enjoy! And don't forget to review and follow!**

**BlackDragon41: THANKS FOR SHOUTING MY STORY OUT IN HERO'S BANE!( Handing out virtual iced espressos) I hope you enjoyed my story so far and cheers!**

**PortableSandwich: Thanks bro! I will be updating as fast as possible(Although I still have school life, family life and blah blah blah to attend to)**

**Sayrcia: Thanks for you review! I hope you will enjoy this story as musch as possible, I will continue to work hard on this project.**

**P.S. You story is pretty funny too!**

49 days till 10th Millennium

Abdiel opened his eyes and blinked, staring at the stark white ceiling. _Dang it, I hate early shifts. _He thought as he shut his eyes and tried to sleep, but after a while, he found sleep impossible as the bright blinding sunlight shone in. He rose from his bed, trying to orient himself. The sword which hung on the wall glinted brightly in the morning sun. He looked out of the window, lost in thoughts. The leaves swayed in the presence of wind. A few stray pieces of leaves drifted down slowly onto the floor, covering the grassy floor of the Aether. A few moas walked by lazily, ignoring the now fully armored Abdiel, who strode out of his home and walked purposefully to the patrol station, the sword now safely tucked in his sheath. He was appointed Captain last week and he smiled at the thought that his hard work in training paid off. Although the city he and his squad guarded was not a capital, it was still an important trade center. People rushed in and out, bringing different cargos into the into the guard's station to greet his squad, only to realize that he was the only one wearing armor. He was about to chew his squad out but he stopped himself. _Well, it is always peaceful anyway._He thought as he looked into the patrol schedule. His first shift is with his best friend, Abner, who was also a skilled fighter, only losing to Abdiel in combat training. As the duo walked out of the city gate, he could finally see what a perfect day it was. n was warming up the brisk morning and the wind blew softly on his face, gently cooling the now sweating sentinel. He now regretted not leaving his heavy and cumbersome armor back at home. As he rounded a corner near the edge of the floating city, chatting away with Abner, he suddenly heard a sharp crack and his friend's face immediately turned bloodless. Abdiel was about to ask his friend what had happened when he felt the block he was standing on tip over. Abner stretched his hand and grabbed Abdiel's wrist as the detached block he was standing on tip over. Abdiel struggled to climb back up, but then the grip between the two weakened and Abdiel faltered, gravity taking hold of him as he plummeted to the ground.

Wind

Frigid wind.

Roaring, frigid wind.

Roaring, frigid, violent wind that was so gentle before now bit into his face, making him wince. His friend had tried to grab him but failed. Watching his last lifeline from free-falling snap, time seemed to slow for Abdiel as he saw his fear-struck eyes met Abner's, reflecting off his friend's brown pupils. He flailed around, trying to find purchase on something, but his massive suit of armor weighted him down like a piece of stone. I was even worse to see Abner kneeling on the edge, helplessly ending his hand but could do nothing except to watch Abdiel fall. Tears welled up in his eyes, partly because of the dry wind blowing into his eyes and partly because of the thought he will never see his friend again. But then the block his friend was standing on also tilted suddenly. Abdiel tried to warn his friend but his words slammed back into his mouth by the wind. He could only watch with frightful eyes as his best friend lost balance and fell, disappearing from Abdiel's view as a strong gust of wind swept him away. His screams had been swallowed by the whining of the wind. He could now see the land looming towards him. He felt his life countdown in five seconds.

Five.

Abdiel had felt a moment of vertigo and knew he is definitely going to die. He had accelerated to such a great speed that the world around him melted into shades of blue, green and brown. Abdiel briefly wondered if those were the last colors eh would ever see in his short life.

Four.

The wind had intensified into a ghast-like wail. He tried to block off the sound but the piercing sound still seeped into his covered ears. He closed his eyes and prayed to Notch silently.

Three.

Abdiel looked at the birds flying around him, and for a brief second he hoped that he could join them, flying happily in the skies, then suddenly it dawned to him that he had got a parachute incorporated in his armor. He quickly activated it, watching the line unfurl. Is it too late? Will he survive or will he die? He just didn't know.

Two.

Questions now swarmed Abdiel's mind. Will he live, will his relatives and friends miss him? What will he see on the mysterious place known as the Overworld to Atherians? He had heard legends, mythical tales of green zombies, skeleton archers and giant spiders roaming the land. He patted his sword in the scabbard, he would need that later.

One.

Abdiel was wandering would the parachute open when a sudden jolt slowed him down. He felt rejoiced, even more when he was promoted. But then he discovered the brutual truth- He is coming in too fast. He watched, the ground loomed in front of him, threatening to swallow him. A loud thump. A searing pain.

Blackness.

**A/N: Yeah that's it! That's it! If you want *cough*virtual*cough*coffee(I must have drunk too much coffee), just review my story and I will give them out for free! Colonel out!**


	4. Chapter 4: Discovery

**A/N: This is Colonel reporting for duty again. Today is a glorious day. Why? Because CHAPTER 4 IS OUT! Yeah! So what is Steve going to face in this chapter? Continue to read on!**

**P.S. I suck in writing fighting scenes, so tolerate people!**

**BlackDragon41: Thank you so much! And yes, his name is Abdiel. Well, I just want to thank you for reviewing all the chapters so far, and I will definitely try to prolong each chapter. So yeah! Enjoy this chapter!**

Steve woke up when he heard the loud noise outside. Fearing it may be mobs or robbers trying to gain access to his home. Steve grabbed his trusty sword and a torch and rushed out from the safety of his home and out to the cold night air.

The rain outside had stopped and now the moon shone over Steve, illuminating the land faintly with its white glow. But Steve noticed something else which was different. The moans of the zombies were more agitated and this happens only when someone or something bleeding. Someone must be hurt in the woods and if nobody comes to help him, the mobs will soon come and get the downed person. So Steve ran to where the voice originated the loudest, his footsteps concealed by the enthusiastic moans of the zombies, hungry for flesh. Steve slowed once he neared the mobs, brandishing his iron sword and snuffing out his torch as not to attract unwanted attention, and finally scouted the area. In the dim moonlight, he saw the faint glimmer of armor in the thick woods. Steve gripped his sword more tightly as he approached, hiding behind one of the woods to get a better visual but not exposing himself. A man, wearing armor made of a purple Aetherian material, sprawled on the ground. Although the miner could see the stranger breathing, he seemed to be unconscious and bleeding profusely. The guy is still alive but Steve knew if the man didn't receive medical attention soon he will die. There were no mobs nearby but the miner knew they would come sooner or later. Although the risk is high, Steve still ran out to save the man. He lifted the armored man up, surprised that his armor was not as heavy as the miner had previously thought. He had to take the injured man back to safety before the mobs come in. Steve hoisted the downed man on his back, taking care not to injure the man's leg more, and started walking slowly back to his home. But now the creepy moans and the screeches of the spiders were louder and Steve kept seeing things in his peripheral vision. Then a menace-looking zombie jumped in front of Steve, snarling, it's hands reaching out to devour the miner's flesh. Steve back stepped, laid down the wounded man on the ground softly and pulling out his sword in one swift move. Then , roaring a battle cry, Steve charged and slashed the zombie, spraying the land with its vicious, infected blood. The sight of the brown liquid and its rotting smell nearly made Steve retch, but he held on his dinner and slashed at another zombie, decapitating it. As Steve hacked away the third zombie, a spray of iron particles flew in his face, startling the miner. He looked at his sword and to his horror, only the hilt remained in his hand. Steve, overwhelmed by his fear, backed off step by step and finally his foot bumped into the injured man, still lying on the floor. There was nowhere to go as the zombies surrounded the exhausted Steve. The miner desperately tried to find something to defend himself. That's when he noticed the hilt protruding out of the man's scabbard. Steve pulled it out and immediately frowned. The weight of the weapon was so light that he doubted the sword effectiveness. _But it is better than nothing anyway. _Steve thought as he tried to stab a zombie only to find the zombie was being launched away by the sword. It has the power of a diamond sword and only the weight of a wooden one. Emboldened by the power of the sword, Steve slashed thought the mobs with ease, even challenging the creeper he usually feared. Finally, the mobs were all dead and the area was clear. The miner proceeded to carry the wounded man back to his home. The fire still crackled in the fireplace, unaware of the other presence in the house. Putting the wounded man on the bed in his guest room, Steve carefully removed the bloodstained armor plating and examined the man's injuries. Steve gasped when he saw the nearly deformed leg. _It must be a long drop to break a leg so badly! _Steve thought. He retrieved a bottle marked Potion of Regeneration and poured it onto the man's leg, some of the potion, mixed with, mixed with blood, flowed down onto the bed sheets. Steve frowned. _It is not strong enough to heal him. I have to find something else. _Steve closed his eyes and concentrated , trying to find out a solution. Then a page of Hero's Bane came up in his mind. The miner rushed down the stairs and opened the book still on his armchair. He flipped through the pages and finally found the potion mixing recipe in Chapter 42. He rummaged through his chest and finally found the glass bottles which contained a Potion of Instant Health and another Potion of Regeneration. Steve quickly mixed them together and applied on the injured man's legs, trying to make each drop of the potion count. The result was instantaneous, multicolored bubbles formed around the wounds as the strong potion fixed tissues and bones, regenerating health on the way. The man writhed in agony despite his unconsciousness, but the area of the exposed wounds are closing. After pulling up the sheets for the man, Steve retreated into his room and he collapsed on his bed and fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.

**A/N: That's it! Thanks for watching and free mocha for everyone! This is Colonel and I'm OUT!**


	5. Chapter 5: New World

**A/N: Colonel reporting for duty! Now a warning first, this chapter is going to be a little bit boring, but it still contains a bit of foreshadowing and so maybe you should read it before I post Chapter enjoy! Now review thanksgiving time!**

**BlackDragon41: Thanks for being here with me for the whole time since this story started!(Hands out a steaming cup of civet coffee)Your reviews had been my empowerment and you advises are all very helpful. Stay with me!XD**

**Fezcoey: Why thank you!(Hands out iced mocha) It's good to have you join the journey of Steve and Abdiel!**

**Guest: Well, of course I will do all those chapters! And I may even have more in store!(Hands out iced mocha)**

48 days before 10th Millennium

He walked in the woods, keeping a brisk pace as the sun is setting and he wanted to go back to his cozy home. Suddenly, an arrow struck his heaving chest, pinging off his chestplate and sending sparks into the air. He turned and was met by a skeleton archer and three zombies closing in. He quickly unsheathed his sword and started to advance, but suddenly an orb of energy flew out behind the mobs and struck a tree. The tree immediately turned dark as its life slowly withered away. More energy orbs flew by, shattering blocks as he tried to dodge those lethal energy orbs. He tried to hit one of those balls back but when he slashed at one of them, it just exploded, sending tendrils of dark energy everywhere. His sturdy sword broke as he was thrown backward on the ground, his vision blurring in and out. A giant grey figure loomed over him, casting it's shadows over him and observing with his three heads curiously at him. A thousand witty remarks echoed in his mind before the energy orb hit him, but only one word now stood in his mind, coming from a long forgotten memory-Wither!

He slowly lost focus on the world as the blood loss took it's toll. The darkness slowly melted around him and was quickly replaced by the warm glow of torches. Abdiel slowly opened his eyes, trying to take in the unfamiliar world before him. The walls were made of an unknown kind of wood and it has a pungent smell. His hands felt the rough surface of the bed, still bloodstained by blood. Blood! He sensed danger and tried to move out of the bed, but is immediately rewarded with a sharp stab of pain in his legs. He screamed in agony, but the scream quickly turned into a whimper as he tried to contemplant his injuries and discovered that his legs were wrapped in bandages and he wasn't wearing his armor plating anymore. His sword wasn't tethered to his belt as usual. He sat up and scanned the room trying to locate his armor in the room. He looked around and finally found his bloodstained armor propped up beside a book case. He tried to reach it but the pain was too much for him to bear and he retreated onto the bed. He slowly massaged his temple as he tried to figure out what was happening. His thoughts were abruptly interrupted when a figure bursted into the room.

Steve walked into the room with a pork chop sandwich, a bottle of milk and two bottles of potions.

'Ah! You are awake. Um.. What's your name?' He said as he set down the tray on a table while mixing the two bottle of potions with an expert's hand.

'Abdiel.' The stranger answered, slowly moving his hands from his cranium.

'Having a bit of headache, do you? Don't worry, it is probably because you haven't eaten anything. You have been out for a whole day!' He said with a smile as he extended the plate of food to Abdiel, which he accepted.

'This should sting a bit. But I have seen worse you know! Like last time I went climbing the highest mountain in the Overworld...' Steve continued to babble about his own personal life as he unwrapped the bandages in Abdiel's leg and spilled the potion on Abdiel's legs, causing Abdiel to give out a small hiss of pain.

'Did I hurt you?' Steve concerned voice was quickly replaced by a lively mood when Abdiel shook his head. He smiled again and his eyes rested in the far wall, where a number of photographs were pinned on the wall.

'You see, I have had a lot of adventures despite that I'm still very young. Now you see that photo?' He pointed to one of them.' That was the time where I defeated horde of creepers with only my bare hands. See how handsome I am?' Steve showed off his signature smile. It had been a long time since he had any friends. The people in the city were not so friendly and were only interested in trade. His last friend..._Well, let's not talk about sad stuff now..._Steve thought as he continued his ranting' Well, what's your story then?'

Silence

Nevertheless, Steve continued his rather one-sided discussion.' Well then. Maybe you would like to see my collection of art then?' He said as he pulled out a rather good-looking painting and held it in front of Abdiel.

'Pretty good, isn't it? I spent a whole day in drawing this. Sometimes my drawing is so good that somebody from the city would buy it for 10 emeralds!' He chuckled at his success but was only rewarded with more silence. Steve then decided that he should change the subject.

'Well, speaking of art, I've found a block which really resembles lapis that I used to paint the skies. It is nearly the color of Aether. Steve said as he took out the blue, gel-like block from his pocket. 'Pretty cool, isn't it?'

Abdiel did not reply. He seemed to have fallen into some kind of stupor and his eyes were fixated on the blue block which Steve had put on the bedside table. Upon receiving no reply, Steve decided that maybe he should leave.

'Well, maybe I should take back the plates and wash them, I guess." He said as he took the plates from Abdiel, who was still lost in thoughts.

Steve took one last look at the Aetherian before exiting the room and closing the door.

**A/N: Well, looks like the poor Aetherian had such a big psychological trauma(PSTD?).**

**P.S. To make up for such a boring chapter, I have a spoiler to you! Check the meaning of the name Abdiel on Google. The name hints a bit about the later events and characters.**


	6. Chapter 6: Realization

**This is Colonel reporting back in! Chapter 6 is finally out and I'm sooooo happy that I had overcame that writer's So without further ado, I present you(as a Christmas gift) the 6th installment of Fallen Skies. Hope you all enjoy and Merry Chirstmas!(Reviews are VERY appreciated!)**

46 days before 10th Millennium

It had been three days since Abdiel's arrival and all had been well. Abdiel's legs had healed enough for him to participate in different chores around the house. With an extra person in the house, Steve's supplies had been going twice as fast so he decided he had to go to the city to do some shopping. He asked Abdiel to come with him as Steve wanted the Aetherian to see the great city and to take his mind away from the Aether. Also, it is nearly Christmas anyway. Abdiel had agreed and after they prepared, they set off to the city at sunrise.

As the sun had risen, there were not much hostile mobs around and they arrived at the city in good time. Steve showed his wooden pass to the sentries guarding the gates and told them that the Aetherian was his friend, and they let the duo pass.

Abdiel's eyes lit up when he saw the city. He raced through the rows of stores, stopping only to admire the products or to beg Steve to buy something for him. Everything was so new to Abdiel, and he was really excited. Soon, Abdiel's chestpack was going heavy with books, music disks, food and all kinds of stuff while Steve's chestpack was going lighter and lighter as the precious gems and ingots disappeared one by one, but Steve was happy that Abdiel had finally stepped out of his despair. It was nearly sunset when they started to go back home, but Steve then realized what would be the best addition to the trip and he led Abdiel to take one more detour before they go home.

'Where are we going?' Abdiel asked, panting as they climbed the steep hills. The blocky sun was spilling over the horizons, masking the land with its golden brilliancy. The last rays of the sun spilled over the barren mountain, casting giant shadows around. The blue skies had turned orange, as if the sky is on fire. The clouds had also turned orange, reflecting the dying light of the sun as it sped over the skyline as the two figures on the hills slowly climbed to the top.

'We are there.' Steve merely announced as they climbed the final blocks to the top. As Abdiel looked out of the boundless skyline, he gasped and his mouth fell open to the spectacular view, captivated by it.

'Wow.' Abdiel said to himself. Although sunsets were quite common in the Aether, he had never seen something like this before. The beams of light crisscrossed each other, forming a complex pattern and a definitely stunning spectacle.

They sat in silence and watched the sunlight continuing its journey in the skies. But then form the dying sun came a filament of bright light, as bright as the different stars which littered the night skies. And the light turned into spectrums of light-red, orange, yellow, green, cyan and finally violet. The shades of color then melted together to form a vision.

It was nothing, nothing at first. Of course, that was the silence before a storm. The different citizens rushed back and forth, attending to their own businesses. Then suddenly the sentry on one of the guard towers screamed, mostly out of fear. If anyone had looked up at that time, they would have seen a huge figure looming closer and closer to the city, flapping its enormous wings as it came. Most of the guards have been already alerted and they are now rushing to their defense posts. The few Valkyries stationed in this city also spreaded their wings and lifted off to fight against the threat. They brandished swords and bows with enchantments so powerful that it can kill a Whirlwind a in one blow. But the arrows, as fast as lightning, just simply melted as they reached the Dragon. The Valkyries, seeing that their arrows had little use against the beast, flew up against the Dragon and tried to slash the flying monster, but it just shook it's head in irritation when the swords touched its skin. Then the Dragon charged and rammed into the Valkyries. The few unfortunate ones who touched the beast screamed in agony as they started to wither away, their skin turning black as they dissolved. The sentry team who tried to defend the city had also met the same fate as the Valkyries. The whole security force of the city had been decimated.

Abdiel gasped as he recognized one of his colleagues, crying in pain as he fell on the ground, taking in his last few breaths. Abdiel tried to close his eyes but the vision still seeped through his eyelids, unfolding the massacre.

The rest of the civilians who haven't evacuated just stared in horror and cowered in fear as the beast tore up the whole island, block by block the city seemed to wither away. And everyone left on the island were either knocked off or they withered away too in the thin air.

And then it was over. The rays of unnaturally bright light had receded and the only light left was that which emanated from Steve's torch.

'Did you see that? Steve whispered as he stood up.

'Aether.' Abdiel only replied, then he stood up, almost mechanically, and they walked back to the house in silence. The darkness crept onto the land as the moon rose into the night, its cold light seemed to mourn for all the lost souls in the world.

**A/N: So that's it. The sixth chapter of Fallen Skies. The first Chirstmas present... Whoops! Spoilers! Alright then, bye!**


	7. Chapter 7: Memories

**A/N: Sorry for taking so long to had been a hectic week and I don't even have time to type! There was the Mid-terms, which screwed my timetable up, and there was my mom, who stole my computer and told me to study. So there was really no time for me to update until now. But expect no updates until the 14th or the 15th as the exams are still there!**

**Now for review thank yous!**

**Dustbowl18:Thanks for supporting my story so much and reviewing all the chapters!( Hands out a steaming mocha) But Abdiel is not a Valkyrie so sorry. But a certain Valkyrie will come by...(Hint!Hint!)**

**Baileyice207: Thanks for supporting again! And a VERY late Happy Chirstmas to you too!( Hand out cup of steaming cappuccino.)**

**Fezcoey: Well you will see in the next chapter later for that question...Anyway, thanks for supporting and reviewing!(Hands out iced mocha)**

43 days before 10th Millennium

'Are you coming or not Abdiel?' Steve asked as he packed his mining tools into his chestpack. He looked at the Aetherian. He is now sitting on a chair and staring into nothing in particular. Steve reckoned that it is something to do with that vision they saw on that mountain just two days before. After they went home that day, Abdiel had sunk into a deep despair. He just stared at walls and floors with a pair of glazed eyes, he had also spoke less and less and seemed to have withdrawn into his own world and thoughts again and this is pretty worrying to Steve.

The miner sensed that he should do something to help Abdiel, but he just couldn't think of anything. So he simply walked up to Abdiel's side and spoke softly in his ears.

'I'm pretty sorry what happened in the Aether, and like you, I'm very worried about it. But look, we can't do anything about it right now, you see. We don't even have a clue how can we get up to the Aether. But we must be prepared. If we ever found a way to get into Aether, then we must be ready to face whatever entity or mob which lies inside. So I think it is better to come with me to mine for a while while we think of a way to access the Aether.'

Abdiel slowly moved his head up, he shut his eyes briefly and shook his head, as if he is arguing with himself. Finally, he opened his eyes and blinked away a drop of saline which formed in his eyes. He swiveled his head and watch Steve's gaze. He slowly smiled, sighed and at last he opened his mouth and spoke.

'I guess you are right. There is really no way to head out for the Aether now. I just wanted to fulfill my responsibilities as a sentry, to protect the Aether...' He stood up and strode towards the stairs.' I will go up and get my gear and meet you later here.'

Steve waited before the footsteps slowly faded into the upper floor, his mind muddled. _Did he said he was a sentry of the Aether?_ He thought. But then the thought melted away from existence as the miner continue packing his tools.

Abdiel opened the door slowly and the wooden door creaked open. He looked into the room which now served as his room, trying to locate his armor. He found it shortly, leaning against the chest, still stained in blotches of red. As he picked it up, a picture slipped out of his chestplate. He picked it up. TI was a sketch and another flood of memory immediately overtook him.

_It was a beautiful day. There is less place more beautiful than the Eternal Falls located at the city of Lightcourt. It was already a famous tourist spot and many Aetherians flock to it to rest or to have a vacation and Abdiel decided to go with two of his friends to the famous place to relax as they did not have any duties that day. Having one of his friends as a Valkyrie really saved money for transportation and they were there in about 15 minutes. There were a lot of people milling around at the Falls already and they marveled themselves on the beauty of the Falls. The water cascaded down into the nothingness below and disappeared, running down to the different rivers and seas in the Overworld. Different vegetation grew around the Falls, courtesy to the fertile soil around. It was one of the happiest days in his life.  
_

_A lot of people had set up their painting equipment and painted the beautiful scenery around the Falls. So Abdiel told his friends to stand beside the waterfall and he sketched a picture of them._

_They took turns and after a while they all had pictures of each other. They relaxed and breathed in the special essence that was only found around the Falls. After their trip, they vowed to go to the Eternal Falls again for another vacation._

_But that never happened again, as Abdiel and Abner had fell from the Aether and had never seen each other again._

_But who was that Valkyrie in the picture? _Abdiel mused. Although the picture had been also bloodstained as his armor was, he could still make out the two figures in the picture. One was Abner, who had fell with him and was not seen again, while the other one...Trin...Trina...Trini...Trinity! Thats it! Trinity was her name. But as the Aetherian finally remember her name, a sudden pang of sadness seeped up into his heart and slowly expanded throughout his body. He will never see them again...

A voice suddenly jerked him back from his memories and back into the reality. It was Steve, who had came upstairs to check on him. Abdiel then realized that he was crouching on the ground, curled up in a fetal ball and had wrapped his arms against his body. He quickly stood up, realizing how similar that he was to a mentally unstable person. The Aetherian quickly picked up his armor and sword and rushed out of his room, stuffing the picture, his last connection with his friends, into his pocket.


	8. Chapter 8: Remembrance

**A/N:Colonel reporting in! Well, I finally found time for Fallen Skies in my revision and my chemistry exams are... well, at least I didn't fail... So here is it! The long-awaited Chapter 8(Or maybe not)! Enjoy!**

**If you think this chapter is boring, there is going to be fight scenes the next chapter. I originally intended to write the two chapters in one, but the words will then be over 2000, and I am not good at passages that long, which decrease my accuracy in writing, anyway, I don't have enough time now to write a large chapter...**

**Review thanks:**

**Baileyice207: Thanks again for the support.(Hands out mocha with cream on top) Yeah... you will see Trinity later, or maybe she is just around the corner?**

**Blackdragon41: Thank you so much for the support too.(Hands out... a ginger cookie?) And yeah, Abdiel is a bit, just a bit, unstable. But will they meet again? You will find out later... **

Steve and Abdiel exited the wooden house and went straight to the stable beside the house. When they were inside the stable, Steve handed out a few hay bales and told Abdiel to choose a horse he liked. Then Steve pulled out a handful of wheat and went near to his horse, Sierra. The horse was definitely splendid, with an impressive 20 bps(blocks per second) and a jumping height of 5 blocks. The silvery iron horse armor melted in with the colour of the white fur, making it half-horse and half-mechanic. The horse snuggled to Steve when he saw the miner and Steve immediately put a few grain on his hand and fed Sierra. After stroking the horse's head, Steve put the last piece of armor on Momentum's head and climbed up the horse, settling himself on the saddle. He turned to look at Abdiel, who had chosen a grey horse which the Aetherian named Storm. After teaching the basics of riding a horse to Abdiel, the Aetherian could easily guide his horse through different obstacles. They mounted their horse and rode out to the cave in the dim sunlight. The day had just started and the sun peered from the horizons. Dawn has approached.

They rode through the soft grass and finally came to a snow biome. Abdiel felt the temperature drop as they rode through it, and he shivered, despite the thick armor on him. The breath of the horses turned into small wisps of clouds as they ran. The hooves of the horses dug into the snow, leaving tracks everywhere. The powerful legs of the horses kicked up snow, which cascaded down into the snow-frosted ground. The snow fell steadily now, some hissing on the armor of the horses as they melt, while some other flakes lazily dropped onto the ground and started the painstaking job of covering up any human presence in the area, creating a scene of serenity for those yet to come. Suddenly, Steve stopped in front of a cave. ' We are there.' He annouced simply.

They tied Sierra and Storm on a fencepost Steve had set there before and they went inside the huge cave. As Steve disengaged the redstone security system which kept the base hidden and well protected from mobs and other people., Abdiel took a while to marvel the vastness of the cave. The ceiling is almost 15 blocks high and the end of the cave seemed to stretch for an eternity. The echo of his footsteps rebounded back to him and again, he was astonished again at the things that nature had the lock on the temporary base opened and Steve walked in, followed by Abdiel. The base, although devoid of anything soft, was indeed a great creation, but this time, by human hands. There was a crafting station, a forge and two storage areas which were connected to the lobby where they were in. A lava fountain sat in the center, and torches littered the area, making the base bright compared to the area outside. And a few chairs littered the area, along with some blueprints which sat on a desk. A small glowstone chunk served as a light and there were some packets on the table, labeled as 'Instant Coffee - Made with REAL cocoa beans'. Steve grabbed two of those packets and asked Abdiel would he want one too. Abdiel politely refused as he didn't feel like a drink now. After Steve fixed himself some, he poured it into a glass bottle, reserved for his potions usually, and sipped it as they sat on the seats. In the meantime, Steve told Abdiel about the dangerous mobs that he may see on the mining trip. After he had finished, they took a few pickaxes and food and left the temporary base.

Blood.

She knew what would happen. She had seen many, or even too many, deaths in her long life. First, her heart would pump faster in order to compensate for the rapid blood loss. Her blood pressure would drop and her skin would turn cold and pale, similar to those who had died. After that, she would start to hallucinate and her awareness would falter. Soon, she would lose conscious and later, when not enough blood flows to her vital organs, she would die.

Normally, she wouldn't simply die. Most people thought of Valkyries as superhuman, immortal, but that was not the case now. A mixture of Wither poison caused her blood-clotting abilities to fail, and that was thanks to the Dragon she encountered back on the Aether.

_She was flying beside Falconcoast, the city she guarded. There had been reports of two sentries, one a Captain, who went missing. She blinked back tears as she thought of how her dear friends had fared when a sudden disturbance of airflow startled her. Valkyries are very sensitive to airflow changes, and she turned just to see a Dragon flying towards her, a certain kind of energy radiated from it. Several Valkyries flew out and she joined them to face the new threat. She loaded an arrow and let it fly, but the Dragon seemed to shrug off the arrows and continued straight for the city. Seeing the Dragon at a closer range suddenly jolted a faint memory of a notice which advised cities to be on the lookout of a certain Dragon...what is its name? There was no time as the Dragon surged through a group of Valkyries, melting their flesh on the way. It was utter chaos, with people screaming around and inside the city. Never had she felt a fear so immense in her, it surged in her body and grip her tightly in its grasp, rendering her immobile. She just had time to dodge the incoming Dragon and had sliced the Dragon with her sword. Instead of blood, a certain black particle seeped out, and the Dragon howled in pain. The Dragon swung its head back and came straight for her. She had avoided the attack but had received a glancing blow to her port wing. She looked back at her wings and gasped in horror. Her wing, white as the clouds before, turned ink-black as a agonizing pain took over in her wings. She knew what was that, it was the Wither Poison and there was only one way she could stop it from spreading in time._

_She took a deep breath._

_There was not much time._

_The poison spreads quickly._

_Then she sliced the infected wing off. _

_An excruciating howl escaped her mouth as she chopped her wing off, and she fell. She couldn't fly. _But that was the only way she could have stopped the poison._ She thought as she fell, away from the scared skies of the Aether into the Overworld. Another martyr at the onslaught of the Dragon._

A sudden shuffling noise startled her. Were they the green-fleshed monsters which bit her mercilessly? Or were they the skeletons which fired arrows at her? She just didn't know as she put her cold hand on the Aerodirt she had used to seal the small space she now resided, the Aether dirt leeching more heat from her. She just didn't care. She stared at the torch she put on the ground. The end wouldn't be long now.


	9. Chapter 9: Contact

**A/N: Hey guys! Colonel reporting for duty! And I present you... NO! AHH! DON"T THROW SHARP POINTY THINGS AT ME! I HAVE A PHOBIA FOR THEM! Well. I know you all are furious that I didn't update after my exams but just let me explain? Okay? First, I had a very bad case of writer's block. Secondly, I lost my notebook for Fallen Skies(And I mean the paper one; Yeah, I am one of those writers who still use a notebook) and pretty much all of the other stories, and at that time I had just finished the story writing and I have to write it all again. Also, I had to work on my profile page and Skydrive keep messing up with me too.(And I mean, I can't download files, edit them or even VIEW THEM!) So I am sincerely sorry for the long update. But hey, there is nearly 2000 words in it too, hmm? Longest chapter So, now my speech is over, looks like I have to find a place to hide before people start to throw things at me again.*Runs into the backstage***

**Review thanking time!**

**Baileyice207: I really like your reviews. Seriously. But I am sorry, I can't. As I said above, writer's block keeps hitting me and I had a bad time trying to get over them.*sigh*( Gives a steaming cup of civet coffee)**

**Blackdragon41: Don't worry. This chapter would be the longest in history and Trinity would pop up in this chapter again... With a very unexpected guest...(Hint: No bright eyes)**

Steve was quickly placing torches around and was ready to mine the iron ores around when he saw Abdiel do a series of hand signals to him. He slowly walked to where the Aetherian was and was about to ask him what was happening when he saw Abdiel mouth the words.

'There is someone behind that wall. But be quiet, I don't know if it is hostile or not.' He said as he pointed to a wall. Steve immediately went to investigate. There he saw some grey blocks which their colour suggests that they were cobblestone or stone. But as he peered more closely into the block, the block, strangely, had the texture of a piece of dirt, although it could be easily mistaken as cobblestone. Steve mouthed back.

'What is this block? I've never seen it before...'

Abdiel took one more look at the block before signaling him to the back of the cave. There he spoke to the miner with a low voice.

'It is Aether Dirt. As the name saids it, it is from the Aether and it should not be here.'

Steve didn't respond. Then he went beside the Aether dirt and put his ears on the dirt. He heard a raspy breathing sound, similar to those of breaking ice. He immediately signaled Abdiel to come to his side and he took out his iron shovel. Steve dug away the block on the top and immediately saw a figure inside, holding a dimming torch. She was bleeding, and also on the verge of shock. Steve quickly dug away the remaining Aether Dirt away and stepped in with Abdiel.

Abdiel's eyes took a while to adjust to the dark, confined 2X2 space. Blood stained the rocks on the floor , reflecting the torch light which shone on them with an odd manner. The light resulted was absolutely hypnotizing. It was then he saw the pale figure sitting on the floor. She wore a pink chestplate which was so tattered that it was cracked and barely holding together. Pieces of pink gravitite littered the floor, resembling a broken helmet. But he never expected the wounded stranger to say his name.

'Abdiel.'

One simple word. The voice, although ragged and breathless, still flowed like liquid moonlight into his ears. He had never thought he would hear that voice, after all he had been through. His mind flooded with waves of memories and emotions he had held for so long finally broke out. He ignored Steve's voice and hugged the Valkyrie, his friend, his final living link to the life Abdiel had before. and didn't let go. Tears flowed down from his closed eyelids and onto the floor, mixing with the blood and diluting it, turning the blood into a slightly translucent red. He whispered,' Trinity...' and hugged her even tighter. He never wanted anyone so dear to him to leave again from him, forever.

*************************************************************************************************************Steve had took the stranger's pulse and found it very weak. He or she would need a good big dose of Instant Health Potions, I suppose. He turned and asked the Aetherian standing behind him to hand him some potion he had took before at his house. But as Steve turned around, he saw Abdiel fixating his eyes on the wounded person. Suddenly, Abdiel leaped and shoved away Steve and hugged the person. A white wing fluttered out of the wounded person's back, making Steve gasp.

It could not be. I must be dreaming. Steve thought as he pinched himself. Meeting a Valkyrie in person? Isn't that impossible?

But now Steve was staring at the Valkyrie in front of him. There is something about the Valkyrie which struck the miner as strange when he had a better view of the Valkyrie. Throughout Steve's education, he had been always taught that Valkyries always had two wings. But she only had one wing, what has happened to her? Steve he pushed the speculation behind his head when he heard a sound. Ssssss... He turned and was immediately greeted by an expanding creeper.

Steve didn't even have the time to take out his sword when the creeper exploded, slamming Steve, Abdiel and the Valkyrie, who is now known as Trinity, into a new chamber. Steve landed on a wooden plank on his feet but the other two were not so lucky as they crashed onto the rough planks. Steve immediately took out a torch and put it down, lighting up the area. What he saw made him freeze. They were staring into the face of at least 20 mobs, who were now aware of them and walking towards them.

*************************************************************************************************************Steve knew they couldn't win this time. His health was very low and so is everyone in the group, and they have used all their potions. But for one mob they slay, two seemed to have materialized from thin air, taking up the place of the fallen mob. Also, adding the fact that the team is suffering from fatigue and they had one man down, the probability of winning is nearly zero. Well, unless there is a miracle... Steve grimly thought.

But suddenly a man appeared in front of them and sent a shock wave to the mobs. Steve, although he wasn't sure whether he is friend or foe, was thankful for the help. The man sent shockwaves after shockwaves, sometime even stomping on the floor which caused an controlled tremor in the earth which dealt a great amount of damage to the mobs. Steve marveled at the immense power the mysterious person had as the mobs flew back, dead before they smashed the ground and disappearing with puffs of smoke. Finally, after what seemed to be an eternity, the mob attack stopped. The man, obviously exhausted fighting the mobs, stood with a stooped position. Then the man recovered and turned around. After that, he started walking toward the group. The miner stared in awe and wonder as the man walked toward them. The man wore a brown shirt and gracefully strolled towards them. In the dim light, Steve could make out the man's black beard. He approached them and asked with a mild Swedish accent.

'Are you alright? You all seemed to be in a bad state. I can help you with your injuries.'

It was then Steve saw the man's cape, the Mojang logo gleaming slightly. Could it be...Notch? But the God should have resided in the Aether, not roaming in abandoned mineshafts. The man's fist glowed a slight pink as he mumbled,'.Noitareneger' And he pressed his fist onto the wounded Valkyrie and a white aura surrounded the Valkyrie, making her float slightly. The wounds on her tattered white dress slowly healed. Trinity, although healed, still remained unconscious because of the blood loss. The man slowly lowered him to the ground. Steve could visibly see the man's fatigue as he spun around and said.

'I know you will have a lot of questions. But this mineshaft is dangerous. I believe we should leave...no... now...' The man trailed off as he eyes rolled back and he collapsed onto the floor, unconscious. Steve quickly supported the man and took his pulse, it was alarmingly weak. Although both the miner and the Aetherian had a lot of questions, they shoved it to the back of their mind as they carried both the Valkyrie and the man away from the mineshaft. Steve hoped he will never had to go back into this cursed mineshaft again.

They exited the mineshaft and they were immediately greeted by their horses licking on them. Then Steve told the horses not to hurt the newcomers. They then released their horses tied to the fence post and told the horses to gallop as fast they could. The obedient horses immediately understood the severity of the situation, and they immediately took off, back to Steve's home.

The voice of zombies and skeletons could be heard around them. But Steve and Abdiel simply just urged the horses to go faster. A zombie popped out in the road and Sierra just kicked it in the chest and the zombie flew away. Arrows pinged from the iron horse armor as a spider descended from the trees. Steve unsheathed his sword and held it above him and the spider impaled itself on the sword, dripping green venom which dripped onto the floor.

After they went home, Abdiel immediately led the horses into the stable, giving the horses a few wheat grains as well. Steve, in the meantime, took the wounded people into his house. As Steve's home only had one guest room, he was forced to put the two unconscious people on the couches in the living room. He then stumbled into the kitchen and took a big gulp of water, trying to calm himself down. The adrenaline rush had already wore off and he was now feeling very tired. He went upstairs and lay down on the bed. _That was close, really close._ Steve thought as the world around him went dark.

The girl they had found in the mineshaft woke up first. At that time, Steve had woke up and had joined Abdiel. They had already treated their wounds and was enjoying a fairly decent meal consisting of steak and potato. Steve was just about to compliment on how Abdiel was a good cook when they heard some stirring in the living room. They immediately went out to check and saw that the girl had sat up and was coughing. Then she looked up weakly.

'Where am I?'

Abdiel looked at his friend and said with a gentle voice, taking out the bloodstained sketch and held it tightly in his hand.

'Home.'

**A/N: So that's it! And if you had not noticed, I have set up a Tumblr account and is currently trying very hard to make it more awesome. So maybe I would give out the address at the next update. You could find out info about my status if I am not updating there. Also, check out my awesome friend TheEternalSushi on youtube, he is a really talented composer. I am listening to his songs now while I am writing.( Why do I always have to listen to Youtube while I am writing?) So goodbye for now, until we met again in the next chapter.**


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